The present invention relates to a process for producing titania from a titaniferous material.
The term “titaniferous” material is understood herein to mean any titanium-containing material, including by way of example ores, ore concentrates, and titaniferous slags.
The present invention relates particularly to the sulfate process for producing titania from titaniferous material.
The sulfate process was the first commercial process for the manufacture of titania from titaniferous ores, such as ilmenite.
A significant issue with the sulfate process is that it produces large quantities of waste iron sulfate and consumes large quantities of sulfuric acid.
The chloride process generally avoids the iron sulfate waste problem of the sulfate process and, at larger scales, is less expensive to operate than the sulfate process.
Hence, the chloride process is the currently preferred process for producing titania, particularly titania for the pigment industry.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved sulfate process.